UKRAINE, KHARKIV, Oct. 16 — Leonid Ryzhykov, a Russian soldier, is a suspect in the murder of five Ukrainian soldiers in the Kharkiv oblast. The investigation also found that he killed another civilian. A court in Kharkiv ordered pre-trial detention of 60 days for Ryzhykov, without the right to post bail, Gwara Media journalist reported from the courtroom.
On Oct. 13, the Kharkiv law enforcement reported that an unidentified person opened fire from an assault rifle and killed five Ukrainian soldiers in the Kharkiv oblast. The following day, law enforcement officers detained the man in Kharkiv.
Vladyslav Abdula, a spokesman for the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), told Gwara Media that the detainee is Leonid Ryzhykov, a 36-year-old Russian citizen from St. Petersburg. Ryzhykov served as a soldier in the 2nd battalion of the 1009th motorized rifle regiment of the Russian army and had the call sign Yula. He was mobilized into the Russian army this July after spending eight years in prison for “intentionally causing severe bodily injuries” and robbery.
According to the investigation, in early October, Ryzhykov was at Russian positions near Starytsia village in the Chuhuiv district of the Kharkiv oblast. After coming under fire, he decided to leave his position and go toward Kharkiv. Ryzhykov took his AK-47 assault rifle and stole civilian clothing.
Near Mykhailivka village in the Kharkiv district, he shot and killed a 60-year-old local who was fishing nearby. Later, Ryzhykov broke into a house in Momotove village of the same district, where five Ukrainian servicemen were temporarily staying.
“At that time, the soldiers were not involved in combat operations, were unarmed, and were dressed in civilian clothing. They were civilians within the meaning of the Geneva Convention,” Abdula said.
After the shooting, Ryzhykov hid his assault rifle and continued moving towards Kharkiv, where police reportedly detained him.
Police also found and seized the weapon used in the crimes.
In the courtroom, Gwara’s journalists reported, Ryzhykov said that before he left the Russian positions, he was captured by strangers and blindfolded. Upon hearing gunfire, he managed to free his hands and escape. Ryzhykov took his assault rifle from the trench where he was held. He recognized it by a mark he had left.
“We had orders to shoot Ukrainian soldiers in the face if we spotted them, but I chose not to do that (presumably, to the soldiers that took him into captivity — ed.). I left everything — my rifle, ammunition, body armor, and helmet — and walked away,” Ryzhykov said, explaining his motive to leave.
The man was planning to live in Kharkiv to beg for money in the subway. He also said he had been walking with another man, who surrendered into captivity.
Ryzhykov said that he killed a civilian because he was afraid the man would call the Ukrainian military, and the shooting would start.
As for the killing of the Ukrainian soldiers in Momotove, the Russian said he did not expect to find people in the house he entered, since there were many abandoned buildings around. He said he started shooting because he was afraid that they’ll start shooting.
Ryzhykov’s pretrial detention began at the time of arrest, that is, on Oct. 14.
If found guilty, Ryzhykov faces a prison sentence of 10 to 15 years or life imprisonment for a war crime.
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